The Massachusetts women’s basketball team applied early pressure and took a 30-29 first half lead against George Washington, the best team in the Atlantic 10. Drained after an intense half, the Minutewomen lacked the depth to withstand 2003 A-10 Player of Year Cathy Joens’ second half shooting display and lost to the Colonials, 70-51 last night at the Mullins Center.
“[UMass] was ready to play when they came out, because they know who we are,” Joens said. “I think that we were playing zone a lot and lost some offensive boards. In second half, we decided to go man to man and didn’t go back to zone so they couldn’t shoot and we had people to box out. That was the major difference in the halves.”
“After a half when we played with a great deal of emotion, we didn’t have the depth after fatigue set in,” head coach Marnie Dacko said. “They switched defensively on us and our legs got tired. Fatigue kicks in and we’re not as crisp as we are in the first half.”
With 15 minutes to go, the Minutewomen were only down three before Joens decided to take over the game. The 5 foot 11 guard rattled off three straight 3 pointers followed by an assist to forward Valerie Williams, to push the lead to 12 points. Dacko immediately called a timeout to regroup, but the damage was done as GW continued to extend their lead as high as 20 points over the remaining time.
“I shoot threes, that’s what I do,” Joens said. “It’s always exciting when you hit shots in a row, but you have to credit the team. They were looking for me. Liz Dancause played a great game, getting me open and got the ball to me, that’s how I got my points.”
UMass and George Washington battled out of the gates, exchanging the lead four times in the opening five minutes. Four different Minutewomen quickly moved the ball through and around the perimeter before finding a wide open Tamara Tatham under the hoop, igniting a 10-5 run over the next four minutes and 27 seconds.
Sophomore Ashley Sharpton made a high arching 3 pointer over 6 foot 1 Anna Montanana’s out-stretched arm, giving the Minutewomen a 30-26 lead with five seconds left. Montanana quickly threw a pinpoint pass to Marsheik Witherspoon, who nailed an NBA range 3 pointer at the buzzer and kept the game within one.
Joens put on a show behind the arc, scoring 18 of her 22 points from downtown shooting .500 percent, while collecting five steals. The 2003 All -A-10 selection moved into third place on GW’s all-time scoring chart.
The versatile Montanana kept the UMass defense at bay though she struggled with turnovers. The 6 foot 1 forward finished with 13 points, two assists, eight rebounds and eight turnovers.
Williams had a quiet 16 points and five rebounds.
Edris Bailey played a solid game with a double double (15 points and 12 rebounds). Maeweather contributed off the bench with seven points and five rebounds in only 13 minutes.
